1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to liquid extraction cleaning devices of the type that spray cleaning liquid onto surfaces and thereafter suck the liquid back up to clean such surfaces. More specifically, the present invention pertains to liquid extraction cleaning devices that are used to clean carpet or upholstery and that store the cleaning solution and recovered liquid onboard.
2. General Background
Some carpet and upholstery extraction cleaners are known in the industry as floor cleaners and some are known as spot cleaners.
A typical floor cleaner comprises a wheeled main unit that rests on the floor and comprises one or more liquid spray nozzles, one or more agitators, and one or more vacuum intake nozzles beneath the main unit. As the main unit of such a floor cleaner is dragged over carpet, liquid spray is discharged from the main unit. The agitator of the main unit is then used to work the liquid into the carpet. Following the agitation, the vacuum intake nozzles of the main unit extract as much of the soiled liquid from the carpet as possible. It is common for floor cleaners to be configured to perform all of these actions simultaneously, albeit on different portions of the carpet. Thus, as the main unit is dragged or self-propelled over carpet, the spraying, agitating, and vacuuming occurs sequentially on any given portion of the carpet.
Spot cleaners tend to be smaller than floor cleaners and are typically used to pick up spills, remove localized stains, or clean furniture upholstery. Some spot cleaners are merely handheld devices that comprise the same general features of the larger floor cleaners, but without the wheels. Other spot cleaners comprise a hand tool that is attached to a main unit via a flexible hose. With such hand tool spot cleaners, the hand tool performs the spraying and the vacuuming and may or may not perform agitation. The vacuum motor and most other necessary components of such hand tool spot cleaners are contained in the main unit. Many floor cleaners are provided with an accessory hand tool and hose that allow the floor cleaners to also serve as spot cleaners.